Provides a statistical comparison of German and American prosecutions, focusing mainly on charging, conviction, and sentencing rates for selected crimes. Although German prosecutors are legally obligated to charge all serious cases that are prosecutable and American prosecutors have wide discretion, the report finds that the percentage of cases actually charged is similar for most offenses examined. The overall percentage of defendants convicted is also similar, but the German system has many more trials and acquittals and many fewer dismissed cases. In addition, Germany imposes sentences much shorter than those imposed in the United States. The report discusses the comparability of German and American offense categories and develops a method for comparative statistical analysis.
Similar Publications
- Exploring How Prison-Based Drug Rehabilitation Programming Shapes Racial Disparities in Substance Use Disorder Recovery
- Higher Levels of Intelligence and Executive Functioning Protect Maltreated Children Against Adult Arrests: A Prospective Study
- Examining the Multifaceted Impacts of Drug Decriminalization on Public Safety, Law Enforcement, and Prosecutorial Discretion